The way we start our work day matters. 

When you show up for work, do you consistently slip right into the zone, fully focused? Do you feel scattered and struggle to find momentum to get things done? 

The way we start our work day matters. The first few moments set our tone and help us mentally and emotionally prepare for what’s ahead. Kicking off the work day successfully means we get up on the right side of the metaphorical - and literal - bed. 

What is “reattachment” and why is it important? 

“Reattachment” to work could sound overwhelming, but actually, researchers describe this simply as the “process of mentally reconnecting back to work after a nonwork period”, which is defined as a free evening, a weekend, or a vacation. [1] Reattachment is not about being overly attached to your work, or even doing the work yet, but about mentally gearing up for it. 

Research shows that “on days when an employee reattaches to work in the morning, this sets the tone for the rest of the workday” [2]. When reattachment is successful, you feel it. You feel more awake, more motivated, and clearerheaded. Even a few minutes thinking about the day and the tasks ahead, or mentally preparing can boost energy, focus and motivation for the day. 

On the other hand, when morning routines are disrupted, employees experience “higher levels of depletion and reduced calmness”, which in return reduces engagement and slows goal progress [3]. 

Long story short: those first few minutes of the work day are not trivial. They're a premium opportunity to fuel the day ahead. 

Design your unique “portal to the work day”. 

Experiment with what works and practice it. Some people use quiet time, or a cup of coffee to activate their minds. Some thrive by jumping straight into meetings, while others do best when they start with smaller, more manageable tasks like emails and chats. 

The widespread adoption of work flexibility affords many of us the ability to design our own unique portal to the work day, in the form of practices that help us reattach. When we don’t put effort into discovering what works for us, taking into account our individual preferences and life constraints, we remain at the constant mercy of our schedules, leaving successful reattachment up to chance.

If you are looking for ways to help you “reattach” in the mornings, here are a few more strategies compiled by Jacquelyn Smith in Forbes article [4]:

1. Clear out your workspace to remove distractions from yesterday.

2. Visualize the outcomes you want for the day. 

3. Make time for micro-transitions like journaling or walking.

Share what works! 

How do you start your day? What gets you in the zone for focus work? How about working with others? 

Do share here with us, but more importantly, share them with your team! 

Resources 

[1] Sonnentag, S., & Kühnel, J. (2016). Coming back to work in the morning: Psychological detachment and reattachment as predictors of work engagement. Journal of occupational health psychology, 21(4), 379.

[2] Hayden Cheng, B., Zhou, Y., & Sonnentag, S. (2025). Starting a proactive workday by reattaching to work: how reattachment and supervisor support for self-management prompt daily proactivity. Journal of Organizational Behavior: OB, (tba), 1-22.

[3] McClean, S. T., Koopman, J., Yim, J., & Klotz, A. C. (2021). Stumbling out of the gate: The energy‐based implications of morning routine disruption. Personnel Psychology, 74(3), 411-448.

[4] Smith, J. (2022, October 12). 16 things you should do at the start of every work day. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/08/23/16-things-you-should-do-at-the-start-of-every-work-day/